WOODBURY — When Woodbury Board of Education member Alvin R. Garlic, Jr. recently submitted his letter of resignation, he cited “personal reasons,” according to Woodbury Board of Education President Frank Gwalthney.

However, according to the New Jersey Department of Education, a dozen school board members and charter school trustees throughout the state were recently disqualified from serving in their respective school districts following a mandatory criminal background check, and Garlic happens to be one of them.

“(Disqualified board members and trustees) went through the process, and something in their background checks now prevent them from serving under state law,” DOE spokeswoman Allison Kobus said. “It could’ve been anything from years ago,” Kobus said, noting that the DOE could not reveal exactly what criminal activity appeared from Garlic’s past, or how long ago it might’ve occurred.

According to NJDOE spokeman Richard Vespucci, the range of disqualifying crimes could be anything from a disorderly person charged with public lewdness to murder, which is a first degree felony. Vespucci added there is no limitation in the criminal history record check statute regarding when the crime had to be committed.

Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Bernie Weisenfeld said they had no record of indictable offenses listed under Garlic’s name.

Individuals with lesser crimes and offenses may request to have their criminal record expunged if certain conditions are met, which may allow them to serve on a school board again.

A new law requiring all school board members and charter school trustees to undergo criminal background checks was implemented last year. The legislation has since resulted in the required background checks of 4,207 board members and 597 charter school trustees in New Jersey.

The DOE sent out letters to districts in which newly-disqualified members were serving and were told the individual would have to resign or be removed from their seats, according to Kobus.

More than 300 other board members and charter school trustees were recently considered ineligible to continue serving within their school districts for failing to even file a criminal background check by the initial Dec. 31 deadline.

Kobus said the department extended the deadline to Jan. 27 for those members who had difficulty scheduling a background check or, for one reason or another, didn’t have enough time to submit one.

As for the Woodbury school board’s vacant seat, officials said they are currently seeking applicants to fill the void Garlic’s departure left behind.

Garlic was elected to the board in April 2010 for a three-year term.

Board of Education Secretary Kara Huber said the deadline for applications is Jan. 20. Two applications have been received so far. Interviews by the board are expected to be conducted in early February.

“We’re not trying to rush the selection process and we want to do this in a deliberate way,” Gwalthney said. “(Garlic) always brought a different perspective to the board. We’re going to miss him.”